St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1887-05-05
A RECTOR'S RASHNESS.
lie Looks Upon the Wife OF a Parish-
Toner with Lustful Eyes.
And Pays the Penalty with His Life -
Details of the Tragedy.

character. A brief account OF tine bare
facts was published in the GLOBE on the
day following. Rev. Mr.. Silver was the
rector of the Episcopal church at Grenada,
and Capt. w. F. Fowler. who shot him,
was leading member of his church.
The assault took place at Capt. Fowler's
house, where the rector was boarding. 1t
was almost the quietest hour OF the day on
the street and few people were passing
Those who saw the tragedy say that they
heard q pistol shot inside the house and n
moment later the front door flew open and
the young minister rushed down the steps.
He had scarcely reached the front gaze
when Capt. Fowler appeared at the door
with pistol leveled at the minister and
Immediately fired. The rector ran
down the street for about a hun
dred yards and fell apparently Sc
verely wounded. The captain did not pursue
his victim, but returned into the house.
The wounded rector was taken to the resi-
dence of DR.. Smith, also member OF the
Episcopal church. Three physicians exam
ined his wounds and pronounced them fatal.
One ball had entered the lett side and was
buried in the vitals. When the yonng pas
tor was told he was likely to die very soon.
he asked to have his statement taken, and
Fowler was justified in shooting, and that
it was his wish that the captain should not
be punished. The rector signed state
ment to this effect which was written out
by a friend. Those present at the bedside
OF the wounded man were members OF his
church. and his explanation OF the ag-
gravating cause that led Capt. Fowler to
fire upon him is kept a profound secret that
the regulations Of the parties concerned
may not suffer. When the case comes to
trial the facts must necessarily become pub
lie, but those who know the secret refuse
to divulge it before that time. 1t is sur
prising that in city of less than 10. 600 in
habitants. where the events of q day can
be summed up in paragraph there, should
be many
RUAlORS STARTED BY IDLE GOSSIPS
on learning Of this terrible tragedy In
tereSt III the case is greatly heightened by
the high standing of the parties concerned,
and the fact that Rev. Mr.. Silver was only
recently appointed and was the subject of
much discussion among young women. He
| was comparatively young man and I'M
married. He preached his first sermon just
before Lent. The Episcopal church had
| been without rector for many months.
Mr.. Silver was chosen for the place by
arranged that he should make his home
| with the members of the church. boarding
| for a time with such as could conveniently
| accommodate him. last month he went to
the beautiful home OF Capt Fowler. The
captain has charming wife and two pretty
| children, and his pride in his home is known
and commented upon by all his friends. He
| is travelling agent tor wholesale grocery
| house of New Orleans and is away. upon
| the road for the greater part of the week.
When inviting the young unmarried min
| lister to his house he thought, as he said to
| friends that the rector would be a pro-
tector to Mrs. Fowler and the children. The
| captains sudden return from his weekly
| trip Oil the road was a surprise to his
| friends. and it is possible that the family
did not expect him. On entering the house
he went straight to the minister's room. it
| is said, and the first shot was fired there.
1t is not known whether any struggle took
place, but if so it was very brief, for only
| few moments elapsed between the first shot
| and the minister's appearance on the street.
Mrs. Fowler had not been seen since the
fatal affair, being utterly Frustrated by the
news of her PASTORS death. Her friends
say there is not the slightest reflection upon
her good name, and it was upon her COM
plant to her husband about improper con-
duct on the part of the rector toward her
that the awful tragedy was enacted. The
| fact that Mr.. Silver was in his room is cited
as evidence that she is free from all Sus-
| pcion, and Capt FOwlerS evident feelings
of kindness and love towards her since the
| shooting would seem to suggest this asser-
| ton.
The funeral of the young rector took
! place from the church of which he so lately
took charge The edifce was crowded bv
members of the society and people of
other denominations drawn there by
curiosity. The services were very simple.
Leading members of the church acted as
pall-bearers, and the remains were con-
signed to vault. pending word from
relatives as to their wishes regarding the
burial place. Those who think they divine
the true facts in the case from the outward
circumstances, uphold Capt. Fowler in his
action and say they would have done the
same thing under similar circumstances.
A large portion of the community. among
whom are leading members of the Episcopal
church, who were much attached to Mr.
Silver, want more information of the cause
OF the shooting before they consign the
character OLA hitherto upright and exenl-
plary man to suspicion and obliquity.
THE MARsHAL's STORY.
Marshal Wright, of Grenada, says that
shortly after the shooting he went I'D to
Fowler and asked him for his pistol 1t
was delivered with the remark: II suppose
| am your prisoner. but before you 90 |
wish to show You something" Fowler led
the way to the sitting room, where Silver
occupied a rocking chair, and pointed out
the spots occupied by each of the principals.
When | approached Silver" remarked
Fowler, The arose with pistol in his hand.
In knocking the weapon from his hahd my
finger struck the hammer, iiaicting
q slight flesh wound" Here Fowler
stopped, and would say nothing
more. After Silver was shot
he was carried over to the Office of
DR.. Smith, who administered all
the relief possible. When he, revived snf. f..
ficiently to talk he said: 81 see | am
among friends and may as well enlighten
you all. ! have deceived you about mat
tiers of religion, but trust II have fddne
some good Mrs. Smith replied: es,
yon have done some good. s;and may do
more No chance for that replied the
wounded man, for l am bound to die"
''Stver came to Grenada from Louisiana.
but the particular point no one knows He
was only lcentiate sent here by Bishop
Thompson. L am not positive as to the
length of time he had been there, but it was
sufficiently extended for him to become
acquainted with nearly all the people,
Mrs. Fowler is woman of middle age.
She has two children ~ and IA years old,
and was out of her teens when she married.
She is a very handsome lady, however
Fowler married daughter of Judge Gray
in 1870. In the same year he shot man
at Cairo, Ill. In 1873 he sent Arrant to
his last account at Jackson, Mich, and at
WinOna. Miss, in 1884, he killed a man